Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, February 17, 2010

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials, FBI agents and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan investigators served federal search warrants at the Season’s Change Home Health Care, Inc. office at 15 S. Main St. in Pigeon, A Change of Seasons Home Health Care, LLC office at 9827 Main St. in Bay Port, an office meeting location located on M-25 south of Caseville near Sand Point, and the Caseville condominium owned by Seasons Change CEO Charlotte Bieri.

The Huron County Sheriff’s Office assisted investigators in the simultaneous search warrant executions, which took place at about 8 a.m. Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the lead-investigating agency in this matter. Health and Human Services officials, along with FBI agents and Blue Cross investigators, were present at all four locations that were being simultaneously searched.

The Pigeon, Fairhaven and Caseville police departments also were standing by in their respective jurisdictions, Hanson reports. He issued a press release earlier this morning stating the search warrant executions are expected to take most of the day today.

“It was my understanding that they (also) would be interviewing employees present, but what it was about, I don’t know,” Hanson said.

The Tribune learned this afternoon that investigators sent for an enclosed trailer to transport records that were seized during the searches.

As to what investigators are looking for, or what the allegations of Medicare fraud are in regard to, no more information has been available as of the publication of this article.

Gina Balaya, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, told the Tribune the search warrants and affidavits pertaining to this investigation currently are sealed. Therefore, she said, she can’t explain the reason for the search or why the investigators are in the area at those four properties.

Hanson’s press release notes the search warrants involve Medicare fraud. He told the Tribune his office only is assisting the investigation, and therefore he can’t issue any additional information.

However, he did note that his office has been part of this investigation — as an assisting agency — for several months.

“This whole deal didn’t transpire over night,” he said. “For them to organize this whole effort, this has taken some time.”

Bieri was not at any of the locations searched today. She currently is out of the state and is expected back in the area some time Thursday.

Hanson said while he and others from the local area were aware Bieri was going to be out of town today, he is not sure if federal investigators were aware of this or planned the search to coincide with her being away from the area.